Investing 102

[96z28ss]

Just got another raise. Phillips 66 (PSX) has increased its stock dividend 25%

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by 96z28ss

Just got another raise. Phillips 66 (PSX) has increased its stock dividend 25%

Pretty nice since that resulted from the spinoff from ConocoPhilips (COP) and you're still getting a nice dividend from COP on top of the "new" dividend from Phillips 66 (PSX)...


Don't ya just love the stock market??!? Where else does your money grow like this??

[booah]

I'm glad I posted my question about the COP PSX split, went thru the hassle of getting the international acct, isnt easy in australia, and kept the PSX stock......good move for me.
Thanks for the lessons

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by booah

I'm glad I posted my question about the COP PSX split, went thru the hassle of getting the international acct, isnt easy in australia, and kept the PSX stock......good move for me.
Thanks for the lessons

[JKnight]

I'm a young finance guy by trade and I can say that this thread has gotten me to use the critical thinking I generally apply at work to my own finances. My old 401k was languishing in some crazy aggressive foreign funds and I've decided to take control of the "employees" I have and put them to work in an IRA that is performing nicely. Thanks for the perspective adjustment guys!!

[GregWeld]

Jeff -- Don't you just love thinking about a buck as an "employee"? I'm telling you the honest to gawd truth -- when I named 'em that.... it brought a whole new perspective to my investing. It was like "man -- put your back into it!"... I was crackin' the whip! Some of you slackers are going back to school!



Here's another thing I've learned -- and thought about A LOT.....


If all those old "brokers" that want to tell me how it's done - are so f'n good at investing.... why are they still workin'?

[67pro-street]

Hello All, Just wanted to check in and say that i am still reading the posts. I just dont have a lot to update on since i just opened my schwab account 3-4 months ago and im not in the day trading business. I have enjoyed some dividend payments though and my Kinder Morgan account is looking pretty slick!! Anyways, dont have much to say other than im glad this thread is still alive and that there are always new people finding this "gem" and taking the time to read though it all! Party on!!

[GregWeld]

^^^^^^ Pro Street..... Good for you!! Thanks for joining in!


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Guys -- Another free money post.... HAHAHAHAHA

AT&T (T) is trading "ex" dividend today.





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Another "non" political statement -- that has everything to do with politics -- but only as related to the "market".



You've heard me say a zillion times that you can't "game" the market - and that when you're absolutely positively certain that "X" is going to go one way - something will happen and "X" will do exactly the opposite of what everyone "knew" it was going to do.


Obama was hands down winning..... the market has been waiting..... and people have been discussing what their strategy would be going forward and blah blah blah....so if you'd sold in order to get ready for the tax changes that have been put out there.... Then all of a sudden BAM -- Romney comes on strong and the market is off to the races... and you'd be left scrambling.


This is why I say ---- stay the course. Don't try to game the market because the market will beat you like a bad dog. Be aware - be thinking - be prepared - but don't be gamed out or in. Buy great stuff - collect your dividends - keep putting aside money for your next buy, and buy when you're ready. Sometimes you'll buy high - sometimes you'll buy low... but buy you must. 20 years will go by - and you'll look back and you'll have a nice pile of dough that's paying you a nice income. Fail to do this strategy... try to beat the market... try to get rich quick by plowing into the next big sure deal... and you'll join the ranks of all the people that are waiting on the government to take care of you.

[GregWeld]

Found this on the front page of NBC news (web)... clicked the link to see if there was something "news worthy"... and while it states the obvious for the most part -- there is a good strategy added that I've not seen before.


http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2012/...e-magic-number



If you don't want to take the time to read it --- it's basically saying that you need 8 times your last years salary at retirement. And that to get there you need to have saved 1 time your salary at age 35 -- and by 45 you need to have saved 3 times your salary - and 5 times by 55. Which puts you within punting distance to hit the 8 times goal at 65.


Trust me... it's much more fun to play golf on Mondays knowing you're not going to work on Tuesday... and you're leaving for Hawaii on Wednesday. You have to plan (invest) for that NOW... not later.

[bdahlg68]

Great article, Greg. More of what I liked about it:

Fidelity lays out the steps savers need to reach their 8x level. It means contributing 6 percent a year to a workplace savings plan and raising that total 1 percentage point each year until you reach 12 percent. The assumption is that employers will add 3 percent in matching funds.

In its calculation, Fidelity factors in a 1.5 percent annual salary increase and average portfolio growth of 5.5 percent a year.

“The two factors that have the greatest impact on retirement savings over time are starting early and saving consistently,” said MacDonald. He added: “Having age-based targets provide benchmarks to help retirement savers stay on track toward their ultimate goal.”

In total, it seems like reasonable assumptions and actually made me breath a little easy based on where I currently am!